Welcome to our latest issue, which focuses on homes. I hope you’ll enjoy our articles about beautiful, locally created art; an intentionally (and joyfully!) curated home renovation; personalized interior design and even the creation of a reading home for children.
As you know, I take immense pride and delight in reading the articles written by our Local team, and I also had the pleasure of writing some of this month’s pieces. I was struck by a few things. For example, you’ll discover the story of Andrea Soule and Chase Hull’s Deephaven home. Soule shares details about the abode’s stunning transformation. While visiting Soule in their I-want-to-live-here home, so many elements and ideas stood out to me. Perhaps, the biggest takeaway was her wonderful ability to play with scale: large elements tucked in smaller spaces and smaller items calling larger areas home. Doing so can feel like going against the design grain, but, when done with intention and skill, it works—if you trust yourself.
One of my design regrets is allowing a contractor to talk me out of increasing the size of our fireplace surround for a dramatic focal point. He had other ideas, and I was tentative in pushing the issue. The result: Twenty years later, I still think about how the space would look significantly better with my original plan. Lesson learned!
For the article Katie Brandt Interiors Centers Comfort and Creativity, I dipped into Katie Brandt’s interior design boutique for a delightful chat. After our visit, I passed her store’s powder room. I stopped. Immediately. My favorite color combo and pattern (classic black and white stripes) was taking center stage on the wallpaper. I’d been debating giving my guest powder room a refresh, taking the high gloss deep blue walls and cloaking them in black and white stripes. But I was unsure. Immediately keying into my hesitancy, Brandt offered encouragement in a way only she can—with confidence dressed in loads of fun. While this isn’t a novel idea, I just needed a little nudge, and Brandt delivered. What design leap are you considering for your home?
Until next month,
—Renée Stewart-Hester
